10.5 Using AIWA in the Business Communication Process

You exist in a world where you will always have access to AIWAs, whether in a personal, academic, or professional context. This section explores how AIWAs can support business communication students and professionals in using AI in the writing process and producing specific message types.

Brainstorming: AIWAs can assist business professionals in brainstorming by quickly generating a range of ideas, solutions, and creative concepts based on specific input or prompts, helping to spark creativity and expand thinking (Cardon, et al., 2023a; Dobrin, 2023; Hillen, 2024; Littlefield, 2024). By providing an AIWA with a clear context, such as a project goal, target audience, or business challenge, you can receive a variety of suggestions, alternatives, or approaches to consider. This can help you explore different perspectives, speeding up the ideation process and helping identify solutions that may not have been initially obvious.

• Sample Prompt: “As a marketing manager for Green Sleeves, a sustainable children’s clothing brand, I need your help brainstorming creative ways to highlight the eco-friendly materials we use in a new line of rainboots. Specifically, I’m looking for marketing strategies or product features that will engage eco-conscious parents, increase brand awareness, and ultimately drive sales for our line of children’s apparel.”

Researching: AIWAs can help business professionals quickly gather and summarize information from a wide range of sources, such as articles, reports, and industry studies it has been trained on (Cardon, et al., 2023a; Dobrin, 2023; Hillen, 2024). You can also provide AIWAs with content to analyze and summarize. AIWAs can save professionals time by pulling out key insights and trends, allowing them to stay up to date without thoroughly reading large amounts of data. However, since AIWAs are susceptible to hallucinations, they might generate false or inaccurate information that sounds convincing and AIWAs won’t necessarily provide you with sources or correct citations for content that is factual (Dobrin, 2023; Lentz, 2024). This can be particularly problematic when AI is used for important research that informs business decisions. Always verify facts from reliable sources, especially when using AI-generated content for decision-making or client-facing materials.

• Sample Prompt: “I’m an HR manager at Green Sleeves, a sustainable children’s clothing brand, and I’m looking to improve our employee engagement and retention strategies. Using the HR reports and articles I’ve provided you with, summarize the key trends in employee satisfaction and retention within the eco-conscious sector, and suggest strategies that we can apply to foster a positive, long-term work culture at Green Sleeves.”

Proofreading & Editing: AIWAs can quickly proofread written content for grammar, spelling, punctuation, and readability, helping business professionals ensure their emails, reports, and presentations are polished and professional (Cardon, et al., 2023a; Dobrin, 2023). In addition to basic proofreading, AI can suggest edits to improve sentence structure, clarity, and tone, making the content more engaging and easier to understand. However, while AI is effective at spotting errors, it may miss subtleties like contextual mistakes or tone issues, so it’s important to review AI’s suggestions to ensure the content aligns with the intended message and business context (Getchell, 2023; Omizo, 2024). Finally, AI won’t know if you have made a mistake in your input (remember GIGO) (Warschauer, et al., 2023). For example, if you generate a blog post and have incorrect product information in your input, your output may be grammatically correct but factually inaccurate. Always review your input and AI’s suggestions and make sure they align with the intended message.

• Sample Prompt: “I’ve written a white paper on sustainable clothing fibers for Green Sleeves, and I’d like you to proofread and edit it for clarity, punctuation, grammar, readability, and flow. Focus on ensuring the content is engaging and accessible while maintaining a professional tone. Please also check that all technical terms are correctly explained for a general audience.”

Content Creation: AIWAs can assist with creating content like emails, blog posts, and marketing materials by generating drafts based on specific prompts (Cardon, et al., 2023a; Dobrin, 2023). This can save a professional time and help maintain consistency across communication. However, AI-generated content should always be reviewed for alignment with the company’s brand and your communication goals. AI-generated content can often be generic or lack a personal touch (Getchell, et al., 2023). When crafting customer-facing messages, always ensure that the content reflects your brand’s unique voice and values. Relying too heavily on AI for content creation can result in messages that feel robotic or lack emotional engagement. Additionally, verify that your input to generate content does not contain sensitive information.

Using AI to generate content, or even revising paragraphs, can inadvertently misrepresent or oversimplify language that reflects your diverse cultural, regional, or social identity (Deptula, et al., 2024). Furthermore, AI models trained on biased data might perpetuate stereotypes or generate content that is insensitive, marginalizing certain groups or miscommunicating intended meaning (Deptual, et al., 2024; Getchell, et al., 2023). Remember the AI-literacy capabilities (Cardon, et al., 2023a) of authenticity and agency–don’t let AI erase who you are. Your customers and coworkers want to work with you, not a machine.

• Sample Prompt: “I’m the social media manager for Green Sleeves, and I need your help writing a series of engaging social media posts to promote our new line of eco-friendly rainboots for children. The boots are made from recycled rubber, organic cotton linings, and water-based dyes, offering both sustainability and durability. One post should focus on how the boots are perfect for rainy days, another on their eco-friendly materials and their impact on the environment, and a third showcasing their fun, colorful designs and how they can be styled for everyday wear. Our corporate voice is kind, warm, and approachable.